Administration

HONOLULU – Annually, in mid-August, the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) reminds motorists of the return of nearly 50,000 students to roadways across the state. This year’s Beat the School Jam campaign running on local television and radio stations focuses on some of the ways HDOT employees plan to reduce time and frustration on the road.

HDOT’s tips are:

Plan ahead

• Maintain your vehicle. Stalled vehicles and motor vehicle crashes are examples of traffic incident that account for about one-third of all delays on our nation’s highways. Following your vehicle’s recommended service schedule and making sure your vehicle has enough fuel or charge to reach your destination can reduce delays and the potential for secondary crashes. If your vehicle is disabled on the H-1 Freeway between Makakilo and Kaimuki; the H-201 Moanalua Freeway; or the H-2 Freeway between the H-1/H-2 Merge and the Ka Uka Boulevard Overpass, you can call 808-841-HELP (4357) to reach the Freeway Service Patrol.
• Check travel times before you leave. Third party apps such as Apple Maps and Google Maps allow you to enter your regular trips and see potential travel times based on route and congestion. HDOT and the City and County of Honolulu offers live traffic camera views for major routes on Oʻahu through https://GoAkamai.org There is also camera coverage for select intersections on the island of Maui.
• Sign up for roadwork notices. HDOT publishes the roadwork schedule for the upcoming week every Friday at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork/

Consider transportation alternatives

• Ride the bus. Check out bus routes and fare information on your county’s transit website:

Oʻahu – https://www.thebus.org/

Maui – https://www.mauibus.org/

Hawaiʻi Island – https://www.heleonbus.org/

Kauaʻi – https://thekauaibus.com/

If there is a route convenient to you, riding the bus can be a great way to reclaim time that you would’ve spent driving and save money on gas and parking.

• Join a carpool. Talk with coworkers or friends about starting a carpool or use our new rideshare website https://hirideshare.qryde.com/ to find someone with a similar route and schedule. Oʻahu commuters can check out https://www.commutewithenterprise.com/en/locations/honolulu.html to find or start a carpool.
• Check out our bikeway map at https://highways.hidot.hawaii.gov/stories/s/Bicycle-Planning/v4zn-nbn4#bikeway-map to see existing bike paths statewide. Visiting your local bicycling advocacy website is also a good idea for anyone thinking of biking for transportation or fun.

https://hbl.org/

https://www.mauibike.org/

https://pathhawaii.org/

https://www.kauaipath.org/

• Check with your employer about the possibility of teleworking or shifting your schedule to avoid the peak commute times of 5-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.

Let’s all welcome the new school year safely and calmly. HDOT appreciates all the roadway users that contribute to safer roads by following the speed limit, limiting distractions, and watching out for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles. These safety measures are especially important as our keiki and young adults head to school.

###